Cluster randomised trials and stepped wedge trials are increasingly used to evaluate health and social interventions. These trial designs require specific methods of statistical analysis. This course will provide attendees with a clear understanding of the design and analysis of cluster randomised trials and stepped wedge trials. This includes the rationale for using these designs, specific design issues, the randomisation process, sample size calculations, analytical methods, ethical considerations, and trial reporting and interpretation. We will include case studies from low-, middle- and high-income settings. Participants will gain practical experience of data analysis using the computer package Stata.

Who is this course for?

The course is taught in Stata. We require students to have experience of the use of Stata for standard epidemiological analyses (e.g. linear, Poisson and logistic regression).

Applicants should have a good command of English and a working knowledge of clinical trials and statistics.

Accreditation and Assessment

There will be no formal assessment, but participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Course fee

This fee will cover participation in the course and the course materials. It will not include travel costs or accommodation. The fee includes tea, coffee and lunch each day with an evening drinks reception on the first day.

Comprehensive course notes will be given to participants at the beginning of the course along with the course book (Second edition of “Cluster Randomised Trials” by Richard Hayes and Larry Moulton).

Attendance

This short course is studies on a full-time basis. Lectures and seminars will start at approximately 9.00 and end at approximately 17:00 every day, with an hour for lunch and tea/coffee breaks during the course of the day.

Teaching Methods

Teaching will be through lectures, discussions and practical sessions. There will be a strong emphasis on practical exercises involving participants in the use of Stata to analyse illustrative datasets from a variety of trials. The emphasis is on developing an understanding of the underlying assumptions and principles behind the design and analysis of cluster randomised and stepped wedge trials, on the practical application of the techniques to analyse such trials, and on the correct interpretation of the results. Methods will be illustrated using trials of interventions against infectious and non-infectious diseases, conducted in low, middle and high-income settings.

How to apply

How to apply

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Applying for this course

Visas

The student is responsible for obtaining any visa or other permissions to attend the course, and is encouraged to start the application process as early as possible as obtaining a visa for the UK can sometimes take a long time. The Short Courses team, in the Registry, can provide supporting documentation if requested.

Accommodation and meals

The School cannot provide accommodation for participants. A list of hotels and other accommodation located in the vicinity of the School can be provided on request to Registry. Lunch can be purchased from the School refectory. Evening meals are not catered for at the School, but there is a large choice of restaurants and coffee shops nearby.

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to improving global health through its programme of short and full-time postgraduate study.

Please note:

If you have been offered a place on the course you will not be able to register without bringing formal ID (Passport) and without having obtained the correct visa.